KJV ORIGINAL
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Now Jephthah from Gilead was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse introduces Jephthah as a skilled warrior who came from a shameful background - his father was a respected man, but his mother was a prostitute.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the period of the judges (around 1100 BC) when Israel had no king and was ruled by military leaders called judges. Jephthah lived east of the Jordan River in Gilead, a region known for producing tough fighters. In ancient times, being born to a prostitute brought great social shame and often meant exclusion from inheritance and family rights.
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